Solenoid actuated valve

ABSTRACT

An assembly for dispensing portions of a gaseous vapor and including a valving body having a dispensing conduit, which is opened and closed by means of a solenoid-actuated plunger contactable with a valving diaphragm. As the solenoid reciprocates the plunger, pressure is relieved upon the adjoining valving pin which, in turn, enables gaseous pressure to urge the diaphragm away from the dispensing conduit permitting gaseous flow.

United States Patent Inventors Anthony Dominic Giorgi Chesapeake; EdwardJunior Duke; Harold Dean Conrad, Portsmouth, Va.

Appl. No. 853,782

Filed Aug. 28, 1969 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 Assignee Virginia ChemicalsInc.

Portsmouth, Va. a corporation of Maine SOLENOID ACTUATED VALVE 1 Claim,4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 251/129,

' 222/504 Int. Cl F16k 31/02 Field of Search 222/70, 76,

I89, 504;25l/l29, 141, 130

, if 11, lllllllllllhi -zz [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,120,297 1 1938 Reinecke 222/189 2,965,268 12/1960 Bauerlein 222/504X3,240,390 3/1966 Mitchell et al. 222/504X 3,134,932 5/1964 Ray 25l/l4lX3,351,240 1 1/ 1967 Gray 222/504X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. TollbergAssistant Examiner-4i. S. Lane Attorney-David H. Semmes SOLENOIDACTUATED VALVE CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS An improvementupon the solenoid-activated dispensing device disclosed in US. Pat.3,209,950 entitled AUTO- MATIC DISPENSING DEVICE.

In US. Pat. 3,209,950 the solenoid was employed to activate a valve fromclosed to open position. In the present construction, the valve is heldclosed by tension of a compression spring within the solenoid assembly.As the solenoid reciprocates the plunger, pressure is relieved upon theadjoining valving pin allowing the diaphragm to be urged away from thedispensing conduit by means of gaseous pressure. The valve, being in theopen position, gaseous flow is instigated and maintained until such timeas solenoid is deactivated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

1. Field of the Invention A great deal of recent attention has beengiven to automatic and intermittent dispensing of gaseous fluids, suchas insecticides, for example, the dispensing of insecticides in atobacco warehouse or public enclosures such as restaurants andauditoriums.

2. Description of the Prior Art Earlier inventors have developed fluiddispensers in which the nozzle and valve mechanisms are actuable by aclock mechanism or a solenoid. Prior art searching has developed:

Kxaus 2,613,108

Gubelin 2,686,944

Edlestein 2,928,573

Kus 3,l89,014

The present invention is distinguished from these in the simplified,strengthened, and improved structure for the valving mechanism andincluding the solenoid-actuated plunger contactable with a valvingdiaphragm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, thesolenoid-actuated valve assembly includes a valving body having afluid-flow conduit extending therethrough, a valving seat definedmedially of the body so as to intersect the fluid-flow conduit. Adiaphragm is supported upon the seat so as to intersect the conduit ands solenoid-actuated plunger is supported above the diaphragm so as tohold the diaphragm closed and intersecting the conduit, except as theplunger is released. As the plunger is released, the superatmosphericpressure of the gas urges the diaphragm to open the conduit, so long asthe plunger is removed from the diaphragm. As the plunger closes againstthe diaphragm, the conduit is intersected and gaseous flow is cut ofi'.Positive cutoff is effected by directing the conduit axially beneath thediaphragm and having an axial plunger engageable on the other side ofthe diaphragm so as to urge an axial portion of the diaphragm into theconduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thesolenoid valve assembly, showing the solenoid-actuated plunger unitsecured to to the valving body;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the valving body and plungercomponents;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the valving body with the solenoidassembly superposed with respect thereto; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of the outlet nozzle adapter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, solenoid unit isshown as secured on top of valving body 12, having inlet 46 and outlet30.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, valving body 12 includes a plurality ofvertical apertures l6, 18, and 22 wherein pins (not illustrated may beused to secure solenoid unit 10 and valving body 12 together.

Valving body 12 includes gaseous fluid-flow inlet 24 and outlet 26.Inlet 24 includes lateral passage 25 into which a stainless steel tube46 having a drilled axial passage 92 may be press-fitted or otherwisesecured therein. The diameter of axial passage 92 may be of a constantsize such as 0.024 inches, so as to insure constant flow rate andparticulate size. Outlet 26 includes interior threads 42 for engagementwith exterior threads 40 upon adapter nozzle 28. Adapter nozzle 28includes axial conduit 84, terminating in a radially outwardly taperedarea 86. A monel or like fine mesh strainer 32 may be secured adjacentarea 86 by means of threaded cap 30. Cap 30 has radially inwardlyextending flange 88 abutting outer shoulder 90 adapter nozzle 28. Screen32 may be held in compression by threaded engagement with anotherconduit not shown.

The gaseous fluid-flow conduit is defined by tube 46 in lateral inlet25, vertical entry passage 48, horizontal valving seat chamber 27,vertical exit passage 52, and lateral exit chamber 54.

Illustrated in FIG. 3, Teflon valving diaphragm 62 which inherentlypasses some of said gaseous fluid by osmosis rests upon annular shoulder60 enclosed by upstanding wall 56 in the body top 58. A Neoprene or likediaphragm 64,'having substantial strength to reinforced valving disc 62and including a vent hole 66 is secured coextensively upon diaphragm 62,by means of an aluminum or like rigid backup plate 68 having hub 70 andaxial passage 72.

Valving pin 74 is supported reciprocably in passage 72, so as to contactthat portion of the diaphragms 62--64 registering with axial passage 52.A compression spring 76 is fitted within walls 56 so as to abut the topof backup plate 68 at its lower end and its top abutting the bottom ofsolenoid assembly housing 10. A solenoid assembly mounted within housing10 includes a reciprocable plunger 80 which maybe made of stainlesssteel or the like and have an axial recess 94 at its top for supportingcompression spring 82. Plunger 80 may include, at its bottom, tip 78,made of Neoprene or the like, so as to be replaceable as it wears inreciprocating contact with pin 74 and eliminating the necessity forchange of the entire solenoid and plunger assembly.

The device is constructed such that plunger 80 in normal position closesdownwardly against pin 74 so as to close exit passage 52. As it isdesired to eject fluid or gaseous spray through the outlet, the solenoidretracts plunger 80, permitting the pressure of the gas to flex thediaphragm and open the conduit for flow through vertical entry passage48, chamber 27, vertical exit passage 52, and lateral conduit 54. Thesolenoid may be activated in this respect by any one of a number ofconventional timing devices.

The reverse taper radially outwardly expanding chamber 86 in nozzleadapter 28 prevents dripping of liquified chemicals. The manufacture ofthe valving body in a single piece eliminates the leakage inherent inconventionally articulated valve housings. Venting of Neoprene disc 64avoids trapping of gases which can rupture the diaphragms 6264. The useof a continuous duty solenoid, as opposed to an intermittent dutysolenoid, avoids the damage inherent in accidental activation by theassembly.

Manifestly, the valving body orifice and diaphragm structure may bemodified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A solenoid actuated valve comprising:

A. a valve body enclosing a fluid flow conduit having inlet and outletports in said body and said valve body includi. g valving seatcommunicant with said conduit;

B. said conduit extending laterally from said inlet, vertically towardsand away from said valve seat and laterally through said outlet and saidvalving seat including:

i. an annular shoulder for supporting the periphery of said diaphragm asa top seal above a valving chamber;

ii. an axial hub extending upwardly from the bottom of said valvechamber;

iii. a fluid-flow entry passage extending vertically from said conduitinto said valving chamber and iv. a fluid-flow exit passage extendingvertically through said axial hub from said valve chamber to saidconduit;

C. a resilient diaphragm supported in said valving seat, so as tointersect said conduit, so as to be sealed upon said annular shoulderand contacting said exit passage in said hub, said diaphragm beingresiliently responsive to the pressure of fluid flowing in said conduitso as to open said conduit;

D. a solenoid assembly supported upon said body adjacent said diaphragmand including:

a reciprocable plunger assembly engaging said diaphragm on the oppositeside of said conduit. said plunger assembly urging said'diaphragm toclose said conduit and permitting said diaphragm to open said conduitresponsive to gas pressure, as said plunger is released;

ii. a rigid backup plate having a vertically disposed core defining anaxial aperture aligned with said exit passage;

iii. a resilient reinforcing plate secured coextensively between saiddiaphragm and said backup plate and having a vent hole;

iv. a pin supported in said aperture so as to extend

1. A solenoid actuated valve comprising: A. a valve body enclosing afluid flow conduit having inlet and outlet ports in said body and saidvalve body including: i. a valving seat communicant with said conduit;B. said conduit extending laterally from said inlet, vertically towardsand away from said valve seat and laterally through said outlet and saidvalving seat including: i. an annular shoulder for supporting theperiphery of said diaphragm as a top seal above a valving chamber; ii.an axial hub extending upwardly from the bottom of said valve chamber;iii. a fluid-flow entry passage extending vertically from said conduitinto said valving chamber ; and iv. a fluid-flow exit passage extendingvertically through said axial hub from said valve chamber to saidconduit; C. a resilient diaphragm supported in said valving seat, so asto intersect said conduit, so as to be sealed upon said annular shoulderand contacting said exit passage in said hub, said diaphragm beingresiliently responsive to the pressure of fluid flowing in said conduitso as to open said conduit; D. a solenoid assembly supported upon saidbody adjacent said diaphragm and including: i. a reciprocable plungerassembly engaging said diaphragm on the opposite side of said conduit,said plunger assembly urging said diaphragm to close said conduit andpermitting said diaphragm to open said conduit responsive to gaspressure, as said plunger is released; ii. a rigid backup plate having avertically disposed core defining an axial aperture aligned with saidexit passage; iii. a resilient reinforcing plate secured coextensivelybetween said diaphragm and said backup plate and having a vent hole; iv.a pin supported in said aperture so as to extend through said backupplate aperture to engage said resilient plate at its lower end andengage said plunger at its upper end; and E. a compression mediumsupported in said valve body intermediate said backup plate and saidsolenoid assembly, including a spring encircling said plunger and saidhub and seated upon the periphery of said backup plate above saiddiaphragm, so as to urge the periphery of said diaphragm onto saidannular shoulder.